Supreme Court rules for veterans

Legislative Update

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American Legion National Commander Jimmie Foster praised the Supreme Court’s recent ruling that the 120-day requirement to file an appeal with the Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims is not concrete - an individual may take longer if circumstances warrant.

“The court’s ruling will certainly make a difference in the outcomes of many veterans’ appeals,” Foster said.

An example of a better outcome for veterans can be seen in the Henderson v. Shinseki case, which The American Legion filed an amicus brief on.

Mr. Henderson served on active military duty from 1950 to 1952. He was discharged in 1952 after being diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia, for which he has established service connection and currently has a 100 percent disability rating. In August of 2001, he filed a claim for monthly compensation with the Department of Veterans Affairs Regional Office based on his need for in-home care. The regional office denied the claim, and he appealed to the VA Board. The appeal was denied on August 30, 2004. On January 12, 2005, Henderson filed a notice of appeal with the Veterans Court, 15 days after the expiration of the 120-day appeal period.

In its ruling, the court held that the deadline for filing a notice of appeal with the Veterans Court can be modified for good cause.

“Our veterans sacrifice so very much serving in combat thousands of miles from home,” Foster said. “They deserve every opportunity and consideration in applying for the benefits they earned through their service. The American Legion is proud to have been a friend of the court in this litigation.”

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William Heino Sr.

State court violations of veterans’ VA disability compensation in disregard of State law, as well the Constitution of the United States have been forwarded (6/23/14), to all nine Justices of the United States Supreme Court, who in 2012 denied a petition on this issue by disabled Air Force veteran Peter Barclay. Justices now have stored in their court clerk’s file, my questions of law I find concerning these violations. Namely, “Separation of powers, Due Process, The Commerce Clause, Supremacy Clause,” as well, various veterans’ laws, the property protections of veterans benefits. The point of this mailing? This is now not something the Justices have not been made aware of. What they do with this information, if anything, will tell you a great deal. The Justices have been advised of the following.
In State court cases involving divorce, our disabled veteran’s concerns are over rulings violating both state and federal law. Decades of continuing costly litigation, incurred in pursuing 14th Amendment property rights of veterans VA disability compensation being awarded to third parties in violation of federal law 38 USC 5301, 10 U.S.C. § 1408. This unlawful activity continues in all but a few state courts that do recognize it‘s federal exempt status. Disabled veterans need to know if it’s true that the “… essential purpose of the due process clause is to prevent the government from acting arbitrarily.”
Divorce is, and can be complicated process. However, keeping in mind, that in each case during the court’s initial property distribution rulings of alimony/support, before any conceivable consideration, in determining VA disability compensation as an award of alimony/support, first and foremost, the court’s duty to the veteran, enforcement of the protections secured by the Constitution. “State sovereignty is not a proper basis on which to rest jurisdiction. Instead the focus is on whether the defendant’s due process rights are infringed by the court’s assertion of jurisdiction.” Civil Procedure 4th Ed. West group.
“It is well established that disability benefits are a protected property interest and may not be discontinued without due process of law.” See Atkins v. Parker, 472 U.S. 115, 128 (1985); Mathews v. Eldridge, 424 U.S. 319, 332 (1976)”
Oregon resident, Peter James Barclay, a disabled Air Force veteran, May 2 2012, filed with the United States Supreme Court a Petition for a writ of certiorari.
ARGUMENT
I. “The Court Should Grant Review to Determine Whether State Courts Are Erring as a Matter of Law By Preempting Federal Law with State Law Federal Law, by Considering VA Disability Pay Divisible Under State Community or Equitable Distribution Laws.”
II. “This Court Should Grant Review to Resolve the States’ Various Interpretations and Applications of Federal Law Governing Veterans’ Disability Benefits and State Communal and Equitable Property Laws in Favor of One Binding Precedent.”
On Oct 1 2012 Petition was DENIED.
This decision fell on all disabled veterans when Peter Barclay was denied his Constitutional rights by Oregon’s State and Supreme court and refusal of the United States Supreme Court to consider his petition. All the while interestingly, permanent alimony reform continues, and has been proposed in Oregon and, as well, legislated in several states, all without one thought of the disabled veteran.
I take that back. Yes, one State did think about the disabled veteran. In 1983, “..the Texas Supreme Court held that …Veterans Administration disability benefits …with the clear intent of Congress that these benefits be solely for the use of the disabled veteran.” And as so, legislated and made part of Texas law. Although alimony reform had been on the legislative agenda, they turned their thoughts once again to the disabled veteran. The Texas legislature in 2013 amended the law. Section 154.062(b), Family Code. Sec. 8.055. AMOUNT OF MAINTENANCE. (a-1) For purposes of this chapter, gross income:
(5) all other income actually being received, including… United States Department of Veterans Affairs disability benefits ….”
The issue is VA medical disability compensation, the property rights of the disabled veteran, in what VA medical doctors, medical professionals have determined a disabled veterans injuries should be compensated for. If, and when the question is a disabled veteran’s VA disability compensation property rights, it’s time that disabled veterans voices be heard in a matter that has long concerned them. State court judges continue to ignore the disabled veteran, and the law, i.e., 38 USC 5301, 10 USC 1408. “Separation of powers” doctrine is mandated to end this attempt by the state court to manipulate, overlook, and circumvent the law, and manage to stick it to the disabled veteran.
It is said that no person can be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law. Forgotten long ago are the property rights of the disabled veterans. Why? It is clear the court’s have no legal right to, exercise, determine, or consider in any equitable calculation thereof, to divide federal VA disability benefits, in order to further enforce judgment arbitrarily in disregard of property rights. The “separation of powers” doctrine imposes the assumption that the state court, in attacking the disabled veterans legal right to claim as exempt, his or her VA disability compensation, further requires subject matter jurisdiction, which address the court’s constitutional or statutory power to entertain a particular controversy. State court’s have the sworn duty and responsibility to enforce federal law. The court’s continued attempt to override VA administered rehabilitative medical services determinations, of disability compensation is not within the courts purview, legal right or jurisdiction to invade.
Disabled veteran’s, and the “separation of powers” doctrine, both overlooked, ignored, for years, by most state court judges. Policy making outside their jurisdiction of constitutional boundaries in re-evaluating and considering long held established VA protocols, of a disabled veteran‘s VA disability compensation for purposes other than rehabilitation and health of the veteran. Substituting their judgment for the judgment of VA doctors and medical professionals. Violating the property rights of a disabled veteran’s earned VA disability compensation “..once they are delivered to the veteran..,” the blatant disregard of 38 USC 5301, “and shall not be liable to ..…or seizure by or under any legal or equitable process whatever, either before or after receipt by the beneficiary.“ and the 14th Amendment, to further degrade property rights of the disabled veteran, runs afoul of the “separation of powers” doctrine. Injurious, and an abuse of power to allow what is happening, was this the intent of Congress?
A disabled veteran’s plea to the judge, “I have a very severe serious back injury, I do need all of my VA disability compensation.” The judge will, of course reply, “Are you a doctor?” The practice of medicine is a privilege and a calling, and that it combines both art and science. And yet, in these non-life threatening health issues, acting as a provider of health care, state court judges independently take on the serious role of playing doctor, prescribe without medical license or knowledge VA medical compensation issues. A practice forbidden, providing penalties by law, and border on medical negligence in maintaining it’s own state health practice standards.
Despite a ruling by the United State court of appeals, in VETERANS FOR COMMON SENSE, VETERANS UNITED FOR TRUTH, INC., v. ERIC K. SHINSEKI, December 13, 2011, in refusing to exceed their jurisdiction over service-related disability compensation, state courts judges, yes… purposely overlook and violate this canon of law.
A State’s navigable streams are regulated as commerce throughout it’s travel, to protect against pollution, and it’s effect to protect it’s health all along it’s travels. This is no different from a veterans VA disability compensation benefit, navigating it’s way across many states, and just as well recognized as commerce, regulated. State courts failing the constitutional standards for establishing a state priority over the Commerce Clause, Article 1, Section 8, have shown no State interest to protect the health and well being, or the property interests of a disabled veteran.
Realizing laws protecting VA disability compensation as exempt, state courts, therefore are unable, in any legal standing, to secure garnishment of veteran’s VA disability compensation. The court not satisfied, in a final move, will now consider, from any source, an equitable calculation of veteran’s resources, to include…. the very same disability compensation the court has acknowledged as exempt in determining court awarded support. Suggesting the use of a veteran’s disability compensation or go to jail! As has happened. The mere mention, innuendo, or thought of VA disability compensation to satisfy indemnity obligations as a equitable consideration in any form, thought or calculation of VA disability compensation, suggests interference, in matters identified as exempt, are beyond the State courts jurisdiction, under “separation of powers” doctrine. The court has the responsibility to recognize “property” as a “due process’ right and the states obligation to uphold the State Constitution’s "separation of powers" doctrine.
A state court judge not wanting to violate federal law realizing the exempt status of VA disability compensation, so orders the veteran, that support payments… shall be made from his or her VA disability compensation. In many instances the only monies available, asking (coerced) the veteran to break federal law 38 USC 5301, one that the court will refuse to violate. "Payments of benefits due or to become due under any law administered by the Secretary shall not be assignable except to the extent specifically authorized by law,.. and shall not be liable to ..levy or seizure by or under any legal or equitable process whatever, either before or after receipt by the beneficiary.”
To illustrate, an ultimatum of disabled veterans’ experiences. As California Vietnam disabled veteran explained to me, “So the court is playing the ‘contempt of court’ game…I am unfortunately too afraid to go to jail for any reason so I resentfully and reluctantly pay the balance.” (Piner v Piner Calif.)
The Supremacy Clause of the Constitution… “The laws of the United States… shall be the supreme law of the land…anything in the constitutions or laws of any State to the contrary notwithstanding. This means of course, that any federal law---even a regulation of a federal agency---trumps any conflicting state law.”
The federal agency’s Veterans Administration Secretary knowing of these concerns remains oblivious to what is their responsibility of care to veterans is, and remains unconcerned as to exactly what their administrative duty is to protect VA disability benefits from those who freely encroach on those constitutional responsibilities that clearly belong to the Veterans Administration. I find no duty of the Secretary to surrender control of VA disability benefits so freely to the States. The issue of disabled veterans right to property is about the law, and not setting a precedent.
As a veterans advocate, and a Korean era veteran, I am neither disabled or in any divorce action. The reality of law from the disabled veteran’s view.